In a two-way learning environment, the Elder in Residence program ensures that cultural knowledge and activities are accessible to all students, staff, and faculty at UNBC.
The Elder in Residence Program, as well as regular visits from Métis Elders, offers a tangible link to Indigenous traditions, identities, and histories.
Along with their unique cultural knowledge, protocols, stories, and ways of being, Elders often demonstrate many of the core values UNBC holds in high priority: experiential learning and discovery, inclusiveness and diversity, leadership, integrity, and community.
We celebrate and honour the contributions of Elders to the university community. UNBC’s Elder Protocol is symbolic of how respect and reciprocity is foundational to the relationships we hold with Elders at UNBC.
By connecting with Elders regularly, students build a sense of community, belonging, and identity through ongoing exposure to the supportive environment and cultural activities that the Elder in Residence Program provides.
2021/2022
Lheidli T'enneh Elder Marcel Gagnon returns as our Elder in Residence and will be on campus every Monday. Elder Marcel will be facilitating cultural programming for the First Nations Centre and is available to book as a guest lecturer for classes and for one-on-one talks.